Pedal.



f A. F. & C. H. MORRIS.

y PEDAL. APPLICATION FILED .TAN.23, 1905. RENEWED .TUNE 4, 1909.

Patented Jan. 11, 193.9.

@QQGQG munlw. s. GRAHAM co.. PHcTo-LITNOGRAPHERS. wnmson. o. c.

uUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT F. NORRIS AND CLIFTON H. NORRIS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

PEDAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 11, 191i).

Application led January 23, 1905, Serial No. 242,400. Renewed June 4, 1909. Serial No. 500,126.

To all @710m 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALBERT F. Nonnrs and CLIFTON H. Nonnis, citizens of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and nsefnl Improvements in Pedals; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and cXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in pedals, and particularly to pedals adapted for use in connection with musical instruments.

One of the objects in view is the provision of means for concealing wear of the parts.

Another object is facilitating the removal of worn parts; and a further object is the facilitating of the altering of the style of a pedal.

With these and further objects in view, the invention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure l represents a View in side elevation of a pedal embodying the features of the present invention with the parts detached, parts being broken away. Fig. 2 represents a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 represents a top plan view of a modified form of the same. Fig. 4t represents a view in side elevation of the parts seen in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 represents a top plan view of a further modification. Fig. 6 represents a longitudinal, verticalcentral section taken on the plane of line G-G of Fig. 5.

It is well known in the art that pedals used for pianos and other musical instruments become worn, and, as the same are usually plated with nickel, or other suitable material, the tips of the pedals show the wear as soon as the plating has been penetrated. In order to conceal the wear upon the plating and to facilitate the renewal of the parts when worn, and also to secure other advantages, we propose to employ a structure involving the invention several embodiments of which are disclosed in the accompanying drawing.

In Figs. l and 2 of the drawing, l indi- Cates the lever or body portion of a pedal having an inwardly projecting arm 2 designed to be mounted pivotally, as usual, and to engage any suitable lifter rod for actuating the same. The body portion l of the pedal is formed with a shoulder 3 and a forwardly extending arm 1, said arm e being preferably relatively narrow, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. Q, and being formed with such angle as may be desired. The arm i is adapted to receive Ia removable tread consisting of a casing and a tip G, said casing 5 being formed with an abutting portion 7 adapted to abut against the shoulder 3. A pin 8 projects outwardly from the shoulder 3 in position for entering an aperture 9 in the abutting portion 7 when the parts are assembled. The casing 5 snugly fits over the arm t, when the parts are brought to their assembled relation, and a screw l0 is passed through the end of the tip G into a threaded aperture lO in the end of the arm 4L in position for preventing movement of the casing 5 independently of the arm et. Of course, the screw l0 may be placed at any convenient position other than the point indicated, and, in fact, the casing 5 may be removably secured in place by any preferred means.

The tip 6 may be made circular, or given any preferred form, and is provided with serrations ll on its exposed face, said serrations producing points designed to be engaged by the foot of the operator, which points expose but a minimum amount of the plating on the tip, so that wear of the plating is not readily apparent.

it will be observed that the arm l might serve the function of a tread for the pedal and that. the casing 5 is only a preferred form of tread, said casing being constructed with any desired contour.

For altering the type of a pedal, it is only necessary to remove one casing and substitute another of a different shape from the first. The removal of the casing may readily be eiected by simply removing the pin 9 and lifting the casing out of contact with the arm 4s. Thus it will be seen that, in operation, a. worn pedal may have its tread renewed without necessitating the dismantlii-ig of the piano, or other instrument to which the pedal is connected. The form of casing applied, in each instance, will, of course, govern the style or type of pedal, and such type or style may readily be altered by the substitution of one casing 5 for another.

In Figs. 3 and e we have illustrated.

another' embodiment of the present invention involvinga body portion 12 formed with an under-cut bead 13, at its outer end, adapted to be engaged by the shoulder 1stcarried by the tread portion 15, said shouldered portion 1-1 being formed with a dove-tailed or undercut groove corresponding' to the bead 13 for receiving' the same. 2r suitable screw or pin 16 may be passed through the shouldered portion 11- and into the body portion 12 t'or removably securing the tread to the body portion.

7When employing' the construction illustrated in Figs. 3 and Ll, the tread 15 may or may not be provided with a serrated tip, and is adaoted to be removed and replaced simply by the removal and application ot the screw 1G, the tread 15 being' removed simply by vertical movement transversely of the body portion 12.

A further embodiment of the invention is disclosed in Figs. 5 and G, in which the body portion 1T is illustrated as being' termed integral with the tread portion 1S. A cap 19 is removably connected with the tread 1S and adapted to be removably secured thereto by any preferred arrangement of attaching screw 20. The cap 19 may be of any size and shape for giving' the tread the desired appearance, as, for instance` the cap may be made disk-shaped for producing' a ball tread when applied to the pedal. The tread 1S, 'for instance, may be elongated, as indicated iu dotted lines in Fig'. 5, and its contour completely changed and its type altered by the application ot the cap 20. lt will be observed that the cap Q0 involves the principle present in the casing 5, in that the same may be readily applied and removed, and its application may occur without in any wise aiiectiug the operative condition ot the pedal. lf desired, the cap 19 may be removed and the pedal used with the tread 1G bare. Thus. it the cap 19 becomes worn to a sutticientextent for showing' the material beneath the metal plate, the cap may be removed, replated, and replaced without removing' the pedal from the piano or interfering' with the operation ot the piano.

lVe have found by experience that the casing' or cap. such as seen at 5, must be tirmly locked in place or it will loosen slightly and produce rattling' or other undesirable sounds. To ellectually obviate a loose condition of the parts through wear or through a failure to properly tighten the retaining` screw, we

have arranged a securing' screw or pin 10 I at the eXtreme outer end ot the casing and the arm el. This position ot the securing' screw or pin is such with respect to the remaining parts of the structure that when the pin S is introduced in the recess 9 and the pin or screw 10 is inserted in the aperture 10. the casing' or cap cannot have lateral Even if the pin or screw 10' should be lett in a somewhat loose condition, the parts would still be held in place against lateral play owing' to the point of engagement of the screw with the casing' We have tound that in actual practice the positioning ot a screw through the horizontal portion or top ot the casing' 5 is impractical as the slightest looseningl ot the screw will permit undesirable play of the casing'. This also appears true ot a structure involving' the positioning' ot the screw through the side ot' the easing The most effectual ln'eventiug' ot lateral displacement ot the easement is accomplished only by the use ot a securing' pin or screw passed through the vertical portion of the casing at the outer end thereof, and this, of course, only in combination with some form ot securing means disposed at the inner end ot the easing', as, for instance, the pin 8.

lt is to be observed that the pin 10 is passed horizontally into the body portion of the pedal. so that any lifting' strain on the casing` 5 is exerted transversely ot the screw and a loosened condition ot the screw will, therefore, not have the e'lt'ect upon the casing' which would result from a loosened condition ot` the vertical disposed screw.

Having' thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to sccure by Letters Patent is:

1. A pedal. comprising' a body portion susceptible of use as a complete pedal, and formed with a shouldered portion intermediate its length. a casing removabhv mounted upon said body portion and formed with an abutting` portion abutting` ae'ainst the shouldered portion of said body portion. and means arranged at the shouldered and abutting` portions for connecting them together, the casing' being' designed when applied to the body portion to give the finished appearance thereto, ditierent from the otherwise general appearance ot the body portion.

2. A pedal comprising' a body portion Jformed with a shoulder intermediate its length, a pin projecting' from said shoulder, a casing` adapted to be applied to the body portion beyond the shoulder, 'for giving' a nished appearance to the body portion, said casing' being' apertured tor receiving' said pin, and means for removably connecting' the easing' with the body portion.

8. A pedal, comprising' a body portion Jformed with a shouldered portion intermediate its length, a casing' adapted to be removably connected with said body portion and Jformed with an abutting` portion designed to Contact with the shouldered portion ot the body portion. and means projecting' from one ot the contacting' elements into the other for connecting them together.

4. A pedal, comprising' a body portion play until the pin or screw 10 is removed. l formed with a shoulder portion intermediate its length, a casing formed with an abutting portion designed to abut against the shouldered portion of the body portion, said casing being of a length sullicient to extend to the outer end of the body portion, and means connecting the easing to the outer end of the body portion.

5. A pedal, Comprising a body portion formed with a shoulder intermediate its length, a removable easing formed with an abutting portion adapted to abut against the shoulder of the body portion, means for connecting said shoulder and abutting portion together, and means for Connecting the outer end of the easing to the outer end of the body portion.

6, A pedal, comprising a body portion formed with a shoulder intermediate its length, a easing adapted to be removably applied to the body portion and formed With an abutting portion designed to abut against the shoulder of the body portion, means for removably looking said shoulder and abutting portion together, and a screw or pin passed through the outer end of the casing linto the outer end of the body portion.

7. A pedal, comprising a body portion formed with connecting means intermediate its length7 a casing for said pedal formed with detachable connecting means at one end adapted to engage the connecting means of the body portion, and a second means for detaehably connecting the easing` to the body portion.

ln testimony whereof We aliiX our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

ALBERT F. NQRRIS. CLIFTON H. NORRIS.

Witnesses Isinonn ROSENKRANZ, HERBERT B. BAiLnY. 

